Nasdaq Stock Market Share News

Stock Futures Pare Gains After Retail-Sales Data

By Tomi Kilgore and Josie Cox U.S. stock futures pared gains slightly after data showing retail sales barely rose, missing expectations. About 55 minutes ahead of the open, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 18 points, or 0.1%, to 16673. Just prior to the release of the data, Dow futures were up 25 points. S&P 500 index futures gained two points, or 0.1%, to 1895 and Nasdaq 100 futures added five points, or 0.1%, to 3613. Changes in stock futures don't always accurately predict stock moves after the opening bell. Retail sales for April increased 0.1% on the month, compared with economist projections of a 0.4% rise. Excluding autos, retail sales were unchanged, versus expectations of a 0.5% gain. In addition, import prices for April declined 0.4% versus expectations of a 0.4% rise. Still on tap, business inventories for March, due at 10 a.m., are forecast to rise 0.4%. Earlier, the National Federation of Independent Business's small-business optimism index for April rose to 95.2, the highest reading since October 2007, from 93.4 in March. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note slipped to 2.635% from 2.657% late Monday. The early gains in stock futures follow broad gains on Monday that lifted the Dow Industrials and the S&P 500 to record highs. Recently hard hit small-capitalization stocks, which saw some of the biggest gains on Monday, were set to extend recent gains. European markets were broadly higher, with the Stoxx Europe 600 rising 0.3% and on course for the highest close since January 2008. The Wall Street Journal reported that Germany's central bank is willing to back significant stimulus from the European Central Bank next month if needed. Write to Tomi Kilgore at tomi.kilgore@wsj.com Access Investor Kit for The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. Visit http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=A591&isin=US6311031081